Softball’s Comeback Falls Just Short in 8–7 Loss at Bakersfield College

Citrus College Softball saw its six-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday in a tightly contested 8–7 road loss to Bakersfield College. 

The Owls now sit at 19–14 overall and 8–2 in Western State Conference–South play, while the Renegades improve to 19–16 and hold an 8–2 mark in the conference standings. 

Citrus struck first in the opening frame, as Madelyn Hajj delivered an RBI single to score Sofia Femath, giving the Owls an early 1–0 lead. Bakersfield responded in the second, plating two runs to jump ahead 2–1. 

The Owls answered in the third with a two-run inning. Alivia Martinez drove in Aalijah Aranda on a sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single from Jaelynn Eaves that brought home Femath to give Citrus a 3–2 advantage. 

The momentum shifted in the bottom of the fourth, when Bakersfield scored six runs to take an 8–3 lead. But the Owls weren't done. 

Eaves sparked the comeback with a solo home run—her sixth of the season—in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 8–4. Citrus kept the rally going in the sixth, scoring three more runs. Martinez came through again with a two-RBI single, and Rylee Praytor followed with an RBI single of her own to bring in Hajj, trimming the deficit to just one. 

Despite putting pressure on in the seventh, the Owls couldn't push across the tying run and fell just short, 8–7. 

Offensive Leaders @Bakersfield College: 

• Jaelynn Eaves: 2-for-4, HR (6th of the season, 4th most in conference), 2 RBI (32 total, 5th most in conference), 1 R 

• Alivia Martinez: 1-for-4, 3 RBI 

• Madelyn Hajj: 2-for-3, 1 RBI (conference-leading 43rd), 1 BB 

• Rylee Praytor: 2-for-4, 1 RBI 

• Sofia Femath: 2-for-2, 3 R, 1 SB, 1 BB 

• Aalijah Aranda: 2-for-4, 2 R

Citrus will look to bounce back quickly as they return home tomorrow, Friday, April 11, for a non-conference matchup against Compton College. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.